The Largest Great Dane Ever

Great Danes are one of the largest dog breeds along with the English Mastiff, Spanish Mastiff and Saint Bernard. They are both tall and heavy, with the average male Great Dane growing to be 30-32 inches (from their paws to their withers, the point between their shoulder blades) and weighing between 140-175lbs. By comparison, the English Mastiff, the largest dog breed, can grow to be 30+ inches and weigh 160-230lbs. An Old English Mastiff named Zorba holds the record for being the heaviest dog ever. Zorba lived with his owner in London, England and tipped the scales at 343lbs! He also holds the record for being the longest dog, from his nose to tail he was 8ft 3inches.

But he is not the tallest dog on record. The tallest dog ever was a Great Dane! Let’s find out about the largest Great Dane ever.

5. Shamgret Danzas and Harvey (41.5 Inches Tall)

Shamgret Danzas and Harvey tied for being the tallest dogs back in 1984. They both were measured in at 41.5 inches tall. Shamgret Danzas was also one of the heaviest dogs on record, weighing in at 238lbs. Both of these dogs were from the UK.

4. Gibson (42.2 Inches Tall)

A dog from Ohio named Gibson held the record for tallest dog in 2004, he was 42.2inches tall. Gibson was a well-known dog appearing on many popular TV shows like Ellen, Oprah and the Tonight Show. He wore a signature bandana around his neck and would perform tricks and could even sound like he was saying “I love you!” Unfortunately Gibson got bone cancer and after a battle that took one of his legs, he passed away in 2009. He is remembered by many as a loving, entertaining dog who happened to also be the tallest.

3. Gibson (42.25 Inches Tall)

Titan was just a hair taller than Gibson measuring in at 42.25 inches and took over the title in 2009. Titan was a white Great Dane that was both deaf and blind. His owner, Diane Taylor, said that she adopted him for the Middle Tennessee Great Dane Rescue as a puppy. When she got him he could see out of one of his eyes so she taught him how to communicate with sign language! They lived in San Diego, California where they both enjoyed walks on the beach.

2. Giant George (43 Inches Tall)

In 2010 another Great Dane took over the title of “World’s Tallest Dog”. A dog with an accurately descriptive name, Giant George, was 43 inches tall, that is 3 feet 7 inches tall. Giant George was also a heavier dog weighing 245lbs. Great Danes are lean dogs and typically weigh between 140-175lbs so he was quite a bit heavier than your average Dane. His owner reported that surprisingly Giant George was the runt of his litter!

1. Zeus (44 Inches Tall)

The largest Great Dane ever is named Zeus and he stood at 44 inches tall!

Zeus was a Great Dane that was a whole inch taller than Giant George. He was 44inches (3ft 8inches) tall. He broke the record on October 4, 2011 and although he passed away, continues to hold the record for the tallest dog that ever lived. When Zeus stood up he reached a height of 7ft 4in (that’s taller than most basketball players but shorter than the tallest man on record, Robert Wadlow who was 8 ft 11 inches). Although Zeus had an intimidating name and size he was a sweet family dog for the Doolag family in Otsego, Michigan. He was also a therapy dog and would visit the local hospital with his owner.

Who is the current largest dog that is still living?

The largest male dog that is living today is a Great Dane. The male that holds the “tallest dog living (male)” record is a pup named Atlas from Canton, Georgia. His owner Spencer Seay said when they were looking for a new place to live they had to find a house that had hallways big enough for their giant dog. They found a place in Navarre, Florida where they live now. His owner Spencer kept being told by people when they were out and about that he looked like he had to be the tallest dog, so she finally started the process with the Guinness World Records to have him officially measured. Atlas was confirmed as the tallest living dog on April 3, 2021 breaking the old record by 3cm. He is 40.5 inches tall (104cm).

The “tallest dog living (female)” is up for grabs! The last record holder passed away in 2017. She was a sweet Great Dane from Florida that was a Harlequin Dane (having a white coat with black splotches). Her owner, Greg Sample, described her as “very sociable” and thought she was such a well-mannered dog because she had to get along with housemates, two terriers and a cat. Lizzy was measured at 37.9 inches tall (3 feet 1.9 inches). A common thread with many of the Great Dane owners is they mention how big their dog’s paws were when they were puppies, citing how clumsy or goofy they looked. But for all of the dogs on this list, these puppies clearly grew into their paws, and then some!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Al_Er/Shutterstock.com